Ayala’s group – Pirates of the High Desert – bought 55 view-level tickets at $84 apiece, thus giving $4,620 to Spanos that Chargers fans may not have coughed up. The group chartered a bus for the three-hour drive.

It’ll be the biggest crowd in San Diego’s last five home games.

And if the Silver and Black partisans boo the home team, several Chargers players will consider it nourishing.

“It’d be real good,” Le’Ron McClain said.

“You love to play the Raiders team – but you just love to play the Raiders because of their fans,” Randy McMichael said. “You know the atmosphere is going to be just great.”

Takeo Spikes challenged Chargers fans to out-holler Raiders fans.

But Spikes said he prefers road crowds “because I like to play the game with an edge. I like to play the game with people trash-talking because that gets me going and gets me hot.”

Tigers on the road of late, the Chargers have won as underdogs against the Steelers and Jets.

At home, they’re kittens, having dropped five of seven and three in a row, most recently the 31-7 dud against the underdog Panthers.

Spikes was new to the Chargers-Raiders rivalry last year when the Silver & Black hordes visited. He got an earful.

“I remember that it felt like we were in Oakland when we came out of the tunnel,” he said.

Nuts ‘n’ Bolts

• As cobwebs accumulate on Jonas Mouton, the backup to Spikes and No. 61 pick in the 2011 draft, Spikes (hamstring) vowed to play Sunday. Turner said the linebacker has a strong mindset of finishing the season. “I’m not trying to go out and get a Purple Heart or anything,” Spikes said. “I can play this game, and that’s my plan.”

• Thursday marked the final full practice of the Norv Turner Era. Afterward, Turner and Spanos chatted, and Turner bumped fists with Ed McGuire, the assistant general manager.

• Ronnie Brown (hamstring), who limped out of Sunday’s game a few times, has sat out both practices this week, which could portend another busy game for Jackie Battle, who had a season-high 19 carries against the Jets. Turner talked like Brown will give it a try Sunday, as will Donald Butler (groin), who didn’t practice Wednesday.

• Raiders safety Tyvon Branch, well-regarded by several Chargers players, hasn’t practiced this week. A 13-game starter this year, Branch (neck, ankle) is second on the team in tackles.